from Meadowlands Media Relations

The 2004 edition of the $1 million Meadowlands Pace looks to be one of the most wide-open events in the race’s 28-year history as 23 colts filled the entry box for Saturday night’s trio of $50,000 elimination races.

The first three finishers in each elimination, plus the fastest fourth-place finisher, will advance to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace Final, the nation’s richest event for three-year-old pacers, on Saturday, July 17 at the Meadowlands. The $50,000 eliminations are carded as races two, three and five on the 13-race card that also includes the $700,000 William R. Haughton Memorial Final for free for all pacers, the seventh race.

Emerging star Camelot Hall and the top three finishers in the $1.1 million North America Cup – Mantacular, Metropolitan and Panspacificflight – are among the contenders vying for a spot in the track’s signature event.

After a rocky start to the season, Camelot Hall pulled it all together for a stunning 1:49 victory in the $85,000 Jersey Cup on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. It was the first win in four starts this season for the son of Blissfull Hall, who was transferred to the barn of Mark Harder last week.

“He looked great tonight,” Harder said after the Jersey Cup. “I only got him Tuesday. It was a difficult situation; the year didn’t start out that well for him. I talked with Darren [McCall, the colt’s former trainer] and just did what he told me. I did not make any equipment changes on him. This was a good mile for him tonight. He looks like he’s on track. He’s ready now, so he’s on a very light training schedule. This year it seems like there are a lot of chances to win the Pace. I think he’s one of the fastest out there, and I just hope he remains that way.”

Mantacular received two weeks off after his 26-1 upset in Woodbine’s North America Cup on June 19. Trained by Larry Rathbone, Mantacular quietly amassed $232,974 in earnings with a record of eight wins and four second in 13 starts as a freshman. The son of Western Hanover was winless, but steadily improving, when he captured the North America Cup Final in his seventh start of the 2004 season.

Trainer Chris Ryder is hoping for a second shot this year at a million-dollar purse. His trainee, Metropolitan, fell only a head short of a victory in the North America Cup. After returning from Canada, Metropolitan qualified in 1:51.1, with a 26.1 final quarter, last Friday at the Meadowlands. The Panderosa colt has been first or second in 11 of 16 career starts for earnings of $481,245.

Panspacificflight, who finished third in the North America Cup, has won 10 of 13 career starts and banked $289,162. His victories this season include a Burlington division and his North America Cup elimination. He is also a son of 1999 Meadowlands Pace winner The Panderosa. Brian Magie trains the colt for Bob Glazer’s Peter Pan Stables, owner and breeder of both Panspacificflight and The Panderosa.

Magie won the Meadowlands Pace in 1996 with Hot Lead.

Headlining a weekend rich in stakes action, the Pace eliminations share the spotlight with the $700,000 William R. Haughton Memorial for free for all pacers, the seventh race on Saturday. On Friday night, three-year-old trotters face their next major hurdle with the colts in the eliminations for the Stanley Dancer Trot and the fillies in the eliminations for the Delvin Miller Memorial, the last major preps for the $1 million Hambletonian and $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, both on August 7.

$50,000 Meadowlands Pace Elimination – Race 2 – Saturday, July 10 PP, Horse, Driver, Trainer 1, Westerly Bound, Ron Pierce, Tom Artandi 2, Circle L Kid, Ron Pierce, Steve Elliott 3, Mypanmar, Luc Ouellette, Ivan Sugg 4, Unique Fighter, Brian Sears, Rich Banca 5, Reason To Smile, Brian Sears, Brett Pelling 6, Camelot Hall, George Brennan, Mark Harder 7, Modern Art, David Miller, Joe Holloway 8, Georgia Pacific, Brian Sears, Randy Bendis

$50,000 Meadowlands Pace Elimination – Race 3 – Saturday, July 10 PP, Horse, Driver, Trainer 1, Metropolitan, John Campbell, Chris Ryder 2, Brandon’s Cowboy, Daniel Dube, Mark Ford 3, Santastic’s Pan, Mike Wilder, Dan Altmeyer 4, Grissini, John Campbell, Brett Pelling 5, Geartogear, Ron Pierce, John Bavosi 6, Leader Bayama, Sylvain Filion, Justin Filion 7, Panspacificflight, Luc Ouellette , Brian Magie

$50,000 Meadowlands Pace Elimination – Race 5 – Saturday, July 10 PP, Horse, Driver, Trainer 1, Village Hero N, Rich Silverman, Jerry Silverman 2, Marchand, Jim Morrill Jr., Noel Daley 3, Holborn Hanover, Jim Morrill Jr., Mark Harder 4, Mantacular, Cat Manzi, Larry Rathbone 5, Timesareachanging, Yannick Gingras, Brett Pelling 6, Western Prince, John Campbell, Chris Ryder 7, The Preacher Pan, Luc Ouellette, Ivan Sugg 8, Duca, Cat Manzi, Rich Banca